Thursday, July 22, 2010

They tried to make me go to...

REFURB but I said no no no.

Wait, no. Yes! I mean, yes. Let's refurbish this beeyotch! The Driftah, that is. If you are following my pics and posts on facebook, then this first part will be old news. Hang with me for a sec, please. So, in a nutshell, we bought a 1970s-era slide-in truck camper for $375. Bargain. Initially, the plan was to use it for the summer to test our ability to camp in a small space together. Then, we would sell it and buy a newer model with updated amenities. The Driftah has grown on us, though. It's old, smelly, obscenely outdated. Completely incompatible with our truck, as far as size and decor. But we love it. It's just the kind of quirky, eccentric and bare-bones 'rig' that suits this adventure...and our personalities.

The demolition began a few days ago -- oh my! Ants swarmed the moldy flooring as David removed the crumbling mess. There once was a leak in the roof so one corner, roof to floor, needs to be completely reframed and reinsulated. The rest is in surprisingly good condition. Walls are coming down and the floor plan is being completely redesigned to suit our needs. Exciting.

First, the ice box did not work so it was removed. The furnace and stove/oven do work, but we don't plan to be anywhere cold and any cooking will take place outdoors. Small spaces tend to heat up FAST and The Driftah does not have a/c...yet. Both were pulled and are currently listed for sale on craigslist. A lot of the closet space was inefficiently designed so cabinets and drawers have been tossed, as well. The area where the ice box and one closet were will be reconfigured to an open-air pantry with small refrigerator/freezer; we need storage more than anything. Where the stove/oven was, there will be a drop-in compartment for our blender and juicer. A cutting board will lay over the top to serve as lid as well as food prep area. The countertop surrounding the sink and the backsplash area will be covered with stainless steel. Walls, floor, ceiling, and one shelf will all be rebuilt with sturdy wood and sealed to repel moisture. Since we plan to spend most of our time in coastal areas, the sealant is mandatory.

We removed the dining table and part of the seating, and will replace with fold-out cushion. This area will eventually be Sage's bed. The ceiling over our bed needs replacing, too. Some of these changes will cost us nothing but time and effort. We have a lot of leftover materials from backyard landscaping projects at our home in Corpus Christi. Recycle, baby! My goal is to reuse as much as possible these materials and any decor we already have that can adapt to a tiny camper. Actually, I want to make this camper as green as possible without a lot (or any, hee hee) of the expense.

When the interior is move-in ready, we will paint the exterior. Right now it's off-white with crazy brown stripes. The off-white will be painted bright white and the brown will be covered with black. In other words, the exterior will match our truck. Hey, it's a start. Ha.

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about me

My true path has led me to colorful places and through deeply profound experiences. In 2001 my husband and I began NativeDave.com, a sustainable landscape design company that focuses on native plants for the purposes of conserving, preserving, restoring, and celebrating Nature. That journey has been incredibly rewarding. While David will continue his work in landscape design, my path is taking me in a new direction. My focus will be on sustainable living, including personal health and fitness, home management, homeschooling, small-scale food production, alternative energy, and more crunchy green stuff. My life is guided by love, a penchant for simplicity, and a robust appetite for meaningful moments. In some small part, each day I do something to make the planet a better place.